Is Jeff Clement the Ms version of the Padres’ Sean Burroughs?

Sean Burroughs, the son of former MVP Jeff Burroughs, seemed to be destined for Major League greatness. After all, how many current Major Leaguers grew up in Major League locker rooms (Griffey Jr., Tony Gwynn Jr., Barry Bonds, Prince Fielder).

It would seem the few kids who are able to call some of the greatest players who have ever lived “uncle” or “godfather,” such is Bonds’ case, would have a huge advantage over the rest of us who aspired for greatness on the baseball diamond growing up. And let’s face it, they did (not to mention the fact they had the genes for baseball, too).

Sean Burroughs had all of these things working for him (he also won two Little League World Series), and when he was drafted as the No. 9 overall pick in the First Year Player draft in 1998 many thought it was simply a matter of time before he broke into the bigs and made an impact.

He zipped through the minors and got his first call up in 2002; he had arrived. But by the end of 2005 the kid with so much potential just couldn’t figure out the Major League game and was out of San Diego. One of his biggest problems was the fact he held a near 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio, which unless you’re hitting 40-plus bombs a year, just ain’t gonna cut it.

Fast forward to 2005. The University of Southern California catcher, and Golden Spikes Award finalist, Jeff Clement is selected by the Mariners with the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. In college, Clement made a name for himself as a slugger who could hit for average as well; he finished second all time at USC in homers with 46, just behind Mark McGwire, and he hold the national record for most career homers by a high schooler with 70.

It took a few years, but Clement finally made the transition from the aluminum bat to the wooden and began hitting for real power in 2007 smashing 20 round-trippers. That power was a big reason the Ms called Clement up in September of last season and what did he do? He only hit .375 with two homers in nine games. It appeared the Ms had found an answer to their power struggles.

But not so quick.

Clement started the 2008 campaign in Tacoma and continued his assault on minor league pitching so, again, the Ms told him to make the 30-minute jaunt north on I-5 and come join the big league team.

They say the jump in talent from high-A ball to AA is huge. The same can be said from AA to AAA. Clement never truly struggled with these leaps in talent; he was always able to get the job done. But when he came back up to the big leagues this season, boy did he ever look lost.

In 15 games Clement hit a measly .167, had two RBIs and struck out a whopping 20 times while only garnering seven walks. He just looked overmatched so the Ms sent him back to the Rainiers. Since he’s been back, however, Clement has found his power stroke again and has been as hot as he ever was in the minors. Too bad there isn’t a AAAA level as it seems that’s probably where he belongs; he can’t hit Major League pitching but he sure tears the cover off the ball when minor leaguers throw to him.

So here’s my question: Are we seeing another Sean Burroughs in the making? A highly-touted first round draft pick with all the talent in the world who can’t pick up the rotation of a Major League breaking ball? Or is this just a step in the learning process for a young prospect who could be one of the best hitting backstops in the game?

I contend Clement will be just fine. I used to watch him kill my University of Washington Huskies while he and I were in college at the same time and I just don’t believe a guy with that much talent will be held down for long.

After all, even Mickey Mantle, the greatest slugging switch hitter ever, was sent back to the minors after his initial call up.